Cruise to pay US$1.5M penalty after failing to fully report crash involving pedestrian

General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division will pay a US$1.5 million penalty after the unit failed to fully report a crash involving a pedestrian, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.

The crash on Oct. 2, 2023 prompted Cruise to suspend driverless operations nationwide after California regulators said that its cars posed a danger to public safety. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the license for Cruise, which was transporting passengers without human drivers throughout San Francisco.

A month after the incident, Cruise recalled all 950 of its cars to update software.

The NHTSA said on Monday that as part of a consent order, Cruise will also have to submit a corrective action plan on how it will improve its compliance with the standing general order, which is for crashes involving automated driving systems.

“It is vitally important for companies developing automated driving systems to prioritize safety and transparency from the start,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said in a statement. “NHTSA is using its enforcement authority to ensure operators and manufacturers comply with all legal obligations and work to protect all road users.”

The consent order’s base term is two years. The NHTSA has the option to extend the order for a third year.

“Our agreement with NHTSA is a step forward in a new chapter for Cruise, building on our progress under new leadership, improved processes and culture, and a firm commitment to greater transparency with our regulators,” said Steve Kenner in a prepared statement, the chief safety officer for Cruise. “We look forward to continued close collaboration with NHTSA as our operations progress, in service of our shared goal of improving road safety.”

Cruise will meet quarterly with the NHTSA to talk about the state of its operations, and to review the periodic reporting and progress on the requirements of the consent order. Cruise will also submit a final report detailing its compliance with the consent order and state of operations 90 days before the end of the base term.